Baptism-Case of Necessity?

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Laud_God

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What would be a case of necessity when it comes to baptism?

I ask because I want my mom to baptize me before I convert to Catholicism, so I don’t have to be a catechumen. Is that wrong?
 
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Laud_God:
What would be a case of necessity when it comes to baptism?

I ask because I want my mom to baptize me before I convert to Catholicism, so I don’t have to be a catechumen. Is that wrong?
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Only those in immediate danger of death are to be baptized by a lay person. The baptism might be valid but it would probably be illicit, which means your priest would still baptize you with a conditional baptism. It’s not wrong to want to be baptized, but you shouldn’t have your mother do it just so you can claim to be a catechumen and not a candidate.
 
Yup. Not a necessity. And honestly a purposeful circumvention of the basic processes one takes to be initiated into the faith compounds the level of ethical irresponsibility, to me.

You know the way it originally worked was that an inquirer would go live with a family for years, learning the ways of Christianity and growing in the faith, before being recieved. Now we have RCIA in which you are through the process in under a single year (at longest). It doesn’t shorten anything to be baptized first. Overall, I’d say you need to re-address your priorities and talk this over with your spiritual advisor.
 
Just so you know, I’ve been a protestant all my life, and I know the Bible and what Catholics believe (since I’ve debated many).
 
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Laud_God:
Just so you know, I’ve been a protestant all my life, and I know the Bible and what Catholics believe (since I’ve debated many).
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Just curious-- if you’ve been a Protestant all your life, why have you never been baptised?
 
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juno24:
Just curious-- if you’ve been a Protestant all your life, why have you never been baptised?
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Not all Protestants believe in Baptism as Catholics do.
 
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Laud_God:
Not all Protestants believe in Baptism as Catholics do.
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I understand. I realized after I posted that you may have been a member of one of the denominations that believes water baptism is optional.
Welcome to the Church!
 
Laud, Sweetie, you still have to go through RCIA. What you describe is not a “case of necessity” except a case at avoiding being a catechumen. Very creative, though…

…How did the Mass your mother gave you permission to attend turn out?

…And why do you not want to be a catechumen? You are missing being in some great company, such as St. Stephen, St. Augustine, St. Paul…

…And with your knowledge and intellect, wow! You can be a big help, a real asset, in these classes!
 
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OutinChgoburbs:
Laud, Sweetie, you still have to go through RCIA. What you describe is not a “case of necessity” except a case at avoiding being a catechumen. Very creative, though…

…How did the Mass your mother gave you permission to attend turn out?

…And why do you not want to be a catechumen? You are missing being in some great company, such as St. Stephen, St. Augustine, St. Paul…
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Really, I just rather be baptized in private than in public. I’m not comfortable in public, I’m very shy.

And I havn’t gone to mass yet. I’m gonna go this Sunday.
👍
 
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Laud_God:
What would be a case of necessity when it comes to baptism?

I ask because I want my mom to baptize me before I convert to Catholicism, so I don’t have to be a catechumen. Is that wrong?
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Yes that is wrong. Baptism by a lay person is justified only when there is a fear of death before a priest can arrive.
 
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Della:
Only those in immediate danger of death are to be baptized by a lay person. The baptism might be valid but it would probably be illicit, which means your priest would still baptize you with a conditional baptism. It’s not wrong to want to be baptized, but you shouldn’t have your mother do it just so you can claim to be a catechumen and not a candidate.
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That is Candidate (Baptized) instead of Catechumen (not Baptized)
 
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Laud_God:
Just so you know, I’ve been a protestant all my life, and I know the Bible and what Catholics believe (since I’ve debated many).
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Why have you not been Baptized? As a Protestant you normally would have been. What denomination are you? Many Evangelicals or non-Demoninationals do not Baptize with water. Most Protestants do.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
Why have you not been Baptized? As a Protestant you normally would have been. What denomination are you? Many Evangelicals or non-Demoninationals do not Baptize with water. Most Protestants do.
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Non-Denominational 👍
 
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Laud_God:
Really, I just rather be baptized in private than in public. I’m not comfortable in public, I’m very shy.

And I havn’t gone to mass yet. I’m gonna go this Sunday.
👍
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You obviously have not had the RCIA process explained to you or have not talked with many people who have been through it Including their Baptism at the Easter Vigil. When you speak with people who have been through this they can’t find the words to adequately describe the events and feelings. I’m a cradle Catholic so I have not been through the process. I have been involved in RCIA for 13 years starting as a Sponsor, team member, Catechist, Director, DRE. Even from the outside looking in it an awesome experience. People really do become “New Creations”.
 
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Laud_God:
Really, I just rather be baptized in private than in public. I’m not comfortable in public, I’m very shy.

And I havn’t gone to mass yet. I’m gonna go this Sunday.
👍
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You could also call the Pastor and tell him about your extreme shyness and perhaps he would agree to this, so that you could have it in private, with just those there that are necessary, you could ask.
 
first of all welcome home, glad you are getting ready to begin your journey. the first thing you will find out however is that to make the spiritual progress required for this journey, you need to learn humility, and the disposition that fosters humility is obedience. this is the reason, by the way, that our Church does have rules, hierarchy and authority. Our Lord spoke and taught with authority, invested his apostles with that authority and established his Church under that authority for a reason. the reason is that obedience leads to humility, and humility leads to all the other virtues.

if you begin your journey to full initiation and communion with the Catholic Church in a disposition that is already looking for ways to “get around the rules” and shortcut the process, you are beginning with a handicap. the RCIA process is a very carefully thought out blend of learning, service, community, prayer, celebration and discipline, and is undergone in the setting of a community, not in isolation. The reason for this is that the Catholic Church, unlike some Christian denominations, holds that we are a Church, that is a community brought together by the action of Christ, working with each other for holiness and the completion of our salvation. We are not a loose, random gathering of individuals each seeking union with God by ourselves. Your baptism and reception of the other sacraments is not merely a transaction between you and God, it is a celebration and sacramental action and source of grace for the entire Church.

Please pray while you undergo the necessary waiting period to begin your RCIA process for the grace to humbly cooperate with the process and with those whose call it is to guide you in this journey. We are all praying with you.
 
Surely you can find a priest that will baptize you in private. I see no reason why a person should be made a spectacle of if they have no desire to be made a spectacle.

Of.

Or something. :nope:

It’s a sacrament, not a show. Sadly nowadays, with the plague of holy hot tubs in most parishes that pass for baptismal fonts, too often it becomes a wet t-shirt show. It’s tough to keep your mind on God when you’ve got a buxomy young thing standing there dripping in a wet sheet.

And don’t try to tell me I’m the only one who can’t retain focus in that situation. :tsktsk:
 
Dr. Bombay:
Surely you can find a priest that will baptize you in private. I see no reason why a person should be made a spectacle of if they have no desire to be made a spectacle.

Of.

Or something. :nope:

It’s a sacrament, not a show. Sadly nowadays, with the plague of holy hot tubs in most parishes that pass for baptismal fonts, too often it becomes a wet t-shirt show. It’s tough to keep your mind on God when you’ve got a buxomy young thing standing there dripping in a wet sheet.

And don’t try to tell me I’m the only one who can’t retain focus in that situation. :tsktsk:
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That is not the case at all! Our Catechumens are told to wear shoes that they can slip off, colored shorts, and a dark shirt. They are called up by name and assemble as a group. They kneel in the Baptismal font one at a time and water is poured over them for the Baptism. Each exits the font with their sponsor waiting with a large towel and thick white bath robe before emerging from behind the font. All go off after each is Baptized with their sponsor to individual dressing rooms. Where they have already placed before Mass a complete change of clothes they return dressed in their clean “Sunday” clothes with a white robe over them. All return as a group.

By the way private Baptism is no longer acceptable under normal circumstances. Because the Sacraments especially Baptism are community Rites that take place in the midst of the Christian Community. Because it symbolizes entrance into the Christian community, the Church.
 
Baptism of adults is usually performed during the Easter Vigil in our parish, which is traditionally very well attended. Our candidates for baptism receive baptism by pouring, not immersion, therefore are not expected to wear clothes suitable for the water. We do however, provide a white garment for them after they receive baptism to show that they are a new creation…putting on Christ. It is a wonderful way for the whole community to embrace them as well.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
By the way private Baptism is no longer acceptable under normal circumstances. Because the Sacraments especially Baptism are community Rites that take place in the midst of the Christian Community. Because it symbolizes entrance into the Christian community, the Church.
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IMHO this “community” thing has little real significance in a parish of 12,000 people where you’ll never know many people very well, and is a rule that should be flexed a little according to the situation. Laud SHOULD go through the process and may well ready for public Baptism when the time comes but forcing everybody to lockstep through these newly resuscitated initiation ceremonies can be pastorally crude.

In my case, it taught me a little patience and humility. Much needed, I am sure (though my natural hauteur is pretty incurable). Some people thrive on the ceremonial progression but for others the sequence of ceremonies has an artificial quality about it that can be seem about as authentic as ring turning ceremonies in high school.
 
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